Careers
Careers, Higher Education and Aimhigher
Bexley Grammar School employs its own Careers and Higher Education Adviser, in addition to the services provided by Connexions.
The Careers department offers support to students in all areas relating to choices, careers, work experience and university applications, including interview preparation. Students can make appointments for careers interviews with the school's Careers and HE Adviser or with the visiting Careers Adviser from Connexions, or they can come to the careers department at breaks or lunchtimes for information and advice.
Careers education is incorporated within the PSHCE curriculum, and is designed to develop students' decision making skills and self-awareness, and their ability to research opportunities available to them, in order to prepare each individual for the choices and transitions they will face throughout their education and working life. Visiting speakers from a variety of career areas contribute to the Year 10 careers day which takes place each year.
The school is working to achieve Investor in Careers quality standard.
Aimhigher
The school's Aimhigher programme aims to raise students' aspirations to enter Higher Education and to equip them to gain admission to institutions appropriate to their abilities. Co-ordinated by the careers department, opportunities are provided for students from Year 9 upwards to be introduced to different aspects of Higher Education. Events include university visits, taster days, short courses and Summer schools, and the school has links with a number of Higher Education institutions.
Work Experience
All students undertake a one week work experience placement during the Autumn term of Year 11, and work experience dates for 2009 are 19-23 October. The timing of work experience has been chosen to maximise the benefits to students, coinciding with when they are making decisions about post-16 options.
Students are encouraged to find their own placements, with support from the careers department. Students needing help finding placements should speak to the Careers and Higher Education Adviser at the earliest opportunity. In order to ensure students' safety on work experience, the school works in conjunction with Bexley Education Business Partnership, who check that appropriate insurance and health and safety arrangements are in place. It is therefore essential that the school is provided with details of all placements well in advance, using an 'own find' form.
Careers Resources
The careers library contains a wide range of books, leaflets and magazines about careers and Further and Higher Education, and students also have access to the careers software, Fast Tomato: www.fasttomato.com.
Several questionnaires enable Fast Tomato to generate ideas of possible jobs or further study which might be of interest. The 'powersearch' facility provides information about Further and Higher Education and different careers, divided into groups according to general career area. Fast Tomato also provides BGS students with tailored information about the GCSE and Sixth Form options available to them within the school.
Regularly updated career information is available on all computers on the BGS network via KeyCLIPS.
Regularly updated career information is available on all computers on the BGS network via KeyCLIPS.
The careers 'room' on Fronter gives students access to further information about careers, university applications, work experience placements and vacancies. Numerous events related to careers and higher education are also advertised there, giving all students the opportunity to sign up for events that are of interest to them.
Further information about different job areas can be found at:
Information about jobs and training in the London area are advertised at: www.lois.uk.net
A good starting point for finding out about university courses is: www.ucas.com.
A good starting point for finding out about university courses is: www.ucas.com.
The careers library also contains a set of files containing up to date information leaflets about a range of issues, from legal rights, emotional or health issues, to volunteering opportunities.
Sixth Form
During Year 12 students are encouraged to think carefully about their career and Higher Education choices, and all students are offered the opportunity to complete a Centigrade questionnaire, to help them begin university research. A Higher Education evening for parents and students is held in June/July, in addition to a careers/UCAS fair for students.
The Careers and HE Adviser is available to give individual advice and guidance to students throughout their time in the Sixth Form.
